Lawson Delivers Financial Analysis Data Mart on AS/400

Business Wire, April 8, 1999

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 1999--

Partnership with ShowCase Yields Leading-Edge AS/400 OLAP

Solution

Lawson Software, The Web Enterprise Company(TM), today announced general availability of its Financial Analysis data mart for the AS/400 platform. Lawson's Financial Analysis data mart is a packaged, on-line analytical processing (OLAP) and data warehousing solution that delivers critical business information effortlessly to the desktop, via a standard Web browser. Combined with Lawson's role-based, pre-packed Performance Indicators and utilizing Lawson's Self-Evident Applications(TM)(SEA) technology, Lawson's Financial Analysis data mart creates a Web-accessible, role-based solution for decision support and performance management on the AS/400 platform.

"Companies are looking for ways to leverage the enormous amounts of data they generate through their transactional systems to achieve better outcomes and improved profitability," said Robert Toatley, executive vice president and general manager of Lawson's AS/400 business unit. "With Lawson's Financial Analysis data mart, companies can transform that data into valuable business information to drive informed decisions on resource allocation and streamline processes that improve the bottom line. You not only see the numbers, you see the meaning behind the numbers."

Lawson collaborated with Global Alliance Integrated Network(TM)(GAIN) partner ShowCase(R) Corporation, the standard in AS/400 data warehousing, to create the Lawson Financial Analysis data mart. The ShowCase STRATEGY(TM) products, recently adopted by IBM as its strategic technology for AS/400 business intelligence, facilitate the transformation of enterprise data into business intelligence within the Lawson Financial Analysis system. Customers gain the ability to quickly implement a business intelligence data warehouse system that can extend to meet future needs as they evolve.

Lawson's Financial Analysis data mart retrieves key enterprise data from Lawson and non-Lawson systems, translates and organizes the information, then stores it in data marts. Through Lawson's AS/400 software architecture, the Financial Analysis data mart manages the analytical data model, data storage calculations and data security on the database server. The analytical database groups the information into subject-specific data, where the OLAP engine performs the analysis and returns answers to questions.

Lawson Software, The Web Enterprise Company(TM), is a $238 million provider of self-evident, role-based Web solutions for financials, human resources, procurement, supply chain and performance management. Lawson has distinguished itself competitively through a unique blend of feature-rich customer solutions, technology innovation and user-friendly support. Lawson Software has been acclaimed by technology analysts for its innovative and unique use of leading-edge technologies, like Self-Evident Applications(TM)(SEA) on the Web, and Drill Around(TM) for integrated, cross-application data access.

Red Herring magazine names Lawson "the strongest private ERP company" and lists Lawson among the world's top 50 private companies. The Information Technology Association of America asserts Lawson is the first to be certified for Year 2000 compliance. Says the Meta Group, "Lawson gives its customers quantified savings by aiming their technology at saving corporations on overhead...a rare thing in the client/server world." Offering LAWSON INSIGHT II for UNIX, NT and AS/400 platforms, Lawson has offices in 15 countries, more than 20 distributors worldwide and a 96 percent client retention over five years. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis and London. Additional information about Lawson Software is available on the company's Web site, http://www.lawson.com, or by calling (800)477-1357.

Lawson and LAWSON INSIGHT are registered trademarks of Lawson Software. ShowCase and STRATEGY are either trademarks or registered trademarks of ShowCase Corporation. Other company and product names are the trademarks of their respective companies. Additional information about ShowCase is available at http://www.showcasecorp.com.